PARIS — On Saturday, August 8, FIFA condemned what it described as "a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine" the organization and its president, Gianni Infantino. The statement came amid controversy surrounding Infantino's now-abandoned plan to open the World Cup to private investors.

Infantino, who served as secretary general of UEFA from 2009 to 2016 and is seeking re-election next March, has faced calls to resign following allegations reported by a British newspaper. The report claimed that while at UEFA, Infantino paid off a lover and used his influence to secure a promotion for a UEFA employee with whom he had an intimate relationship. The employee reportedly received a "six-figure sum" upon departure, along with tuition fees for an MBA course at a local business school amounting to around £45,000 (US$60,700).

UEFA confirmed to AFP that a departure payment and MBA fees were paid to the individual in question.

FIFA's statement criticized recent reporting as containing "unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims concerning FIFA and its President." It emphasized that scrutiny should not be a license to distort facts or amplify unsubstantiated allegations and pledged to challenge inaccurate or misleading reports vigorously.

Furthermore, FIFA declared it "will not support, facilitate or tolerate any process concerning the election of the FIFA President that is inconsistent with FIFA's Statutes, democratic procedures and established governance framework." The organization urged those without the support of FIFA's Member Associations not to seek to achieve through allegations or misinformation what cannot be achieved through established democratic processes.

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